Rescue toboggan



Sept. 17, 1963 Filed April 18, 1961 D. S. KNIGHT, JR

RESCUE TOBOGGAN 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DONALD S. KNIGHT JR.

I f az cv- W Sept. 17, 1963 D. s. KNIGHT, JR

RESCUE .TOBOGGAN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DONALD S. KNIGHT JR.

Filed April 18, 1961 p 1963 D. s. KNIGHT, JR 3,104,116

RESCUE TOBOGGAN Filed April 18, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.4

INVENTOR.

FIG.6 IECWI/W DONALD S. KNIGHT JR.

P 1963 D. s. KNIGHT, JR 3,104,116

RESCUE ,TOBOGGAN Filed April 18, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. DONALDS. KNIGHT JR.

BY;%% 60. W

United States Patent 3,104,116 RESQUE TOBOGGAN Donald S. Knight, in,Montgomery County, Pa. (1609 Upland Ava, .lenirintown, Pa.) Filed Apr.18, 1961, Ser. No. 193,391 6 (Ilaims. ((Il. 28i)-18) This inventionrelates to a rescue toboggan for use on snow covered terrain and moreparticularly to an improved rescue toboggan particularly suitable fortransporting injured or incapacitated personnel over snow and ice.

Due to the ever increasing interest in and number of persons enjoyingwinter sports, particularly skiing, it becomes of particular importanceto provide satisfactory means for transporting injured skiers from thescene of an accident to a base where proper medical treatment can beadministered. Not only does the present equipment find great utility atski resorts but it may be used under any conditions where it is requiredto transport heavy loads or injured personnel over snow or ice. Mountainclimbers, victims of airplane accidents, and even motorists or otherswho have been snowbound in inaccessible places can be safely carried bymeans of the improved rescue toboggan which is the subject matter of thepresent invention.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide arescue toboggan particularly suitable for transporting injured personnelover snow and ice.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a rescue toboggan ofthe type described an improved braking mechanism which is operable fromthe forward or towing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rescuetoboggan having suitable means for transporting injured personnel with aminimum of injury thereto.

A still further object is to provide in a rescue toboggan detachablecushions and mattresses whereby various parts of the anatomy of aninjured person may be safely maintained in a position duringtransportation.

A further object is to provide a combination rescue toboggan and litterfor carrying injured personnel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rescue tobogganwhich is readily transportable, lightweight and strong.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings inwhich,

H6. 1 is a perspective of an improved rescue toboggan constructed inaccordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing the toboggan of FIG. 1 arranged toaccommodate a skier with a leg injury,

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a portion of the tail section of thetoboggan partly broken away and the manner in which it is secured to thenose section,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail as seen at 4d of FIG. 1 partly sectionedshowing one of the clamping means for connecting the nose and tailsections of the toboggan,

PEG. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail as seen at *':35 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail as seen at 6-6 of FIG. 2 or" the cushionsand their securing means,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail partly sectioned as seen at 77 of FIG. 3,and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a modified brake operating mechanism.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of .a lightweightformed. aluminum nose section having a curved forward dash which servesas a pocket or storage receptable for the cushions. Two towing armsconnected to the nose section control a sprag type brake on either sideof the nose section of the toboggan through ice a worm and sector oralternatively by means of a hydraulic pump. The tail section of thetoboggan, provided with runners extending part way forward from the rearend, has suitable locking and disconnecting segments .to clamp to thenose section. A mattress is secured on the top of the assembly with asuitable line and is provided with snap fasteners by means of which thecushions may be attached to the mattress.

Referring now to FlGS. 1-3, my improved toboggan incorporates a nosesection it formed of a curved sheet of aluminum having a plurality ofreinforcing ridges 11, lit. The aluminum or other strong sheet-likematerial is formed around and secured to T-section frame elements 1'2and 13 having apertures 14 and 15, respectively, through which thetowing and brake actuating handles 16 and 17 extend. The lower portionof the cowl id is secured to a cross member 24} having a plurality ofdowels or pins 21, 21 pointing rearwardly as seen clearly in FIG. 3. TheT-section frame members 12. and 13 terminate at brake housings 22 and 23on each side of the cross section, as seen also in FIGS. 1 and 3. A stubframe member 24 is secured or formed integrally with the brake housing23 and a corresponding stub member 2-5 is likewise secured to or formedintegrally with brake housing 22.

The tail section of my improved toboggan comprises a pair of hollowrails 3d and 31 having a bed or body 32 connected therebetween. The body32 is formed of lightweight sheet material such as aluminum and isdimpled at 33, 33 (FIG. 5) to provide suitable rigidity and strength. Aplurality of T-section runners 35, 36 and 37 are secured to the rearbottom portion of the body 32 and these runners are tapered at theirforward ends also as shown in FIG. 5. The forward portion of the body 32is provided with a cross member 43 having suitable slots or holes 41which are in alignment with and fit over the pins 21, 21. With the tailsection secured to the nose section as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 anysuitable clamping means may be employed such as pivoting handles orlevers 42 and 43 and mounted on tabs 44 and 45, respectively, and whichmaybe locked securely in notches 4s and 47 on the stub frame rails 24and The braking device on my improved toboggan is of particularimportance and can be set or released by the operator while he ispulling or otherwise guiding the toboggan. Each of the handles 16 and i7terminates in a universal joint 5i) connected to a stub shaft 51journaled in housings 2.2 and 23. The worm 52 on shaft 51 meshes with asector 53 journaied on a shaft 54- and having an elongated sprag orextension 55 having a plurality of teeth or serrations 55 on theunderside thereof. Rotation of handle 17 by the operator serves to raiseor lower the sprag 55 to provide the optimum braking angle for solidice, hard packed snow, or an icy crust. The right and left hand brakesare constructed in the same manner and it will be understood that theactuation of the braking element in housing 2 2 is identical to thatshown in housing 23 (FIG. 7). The ability to selectively control thebrake on either the right and left runners individually as well assimultaneously also assists in guiding the toboggan under extreme icingconditions. Furthermore, the individual brakes cooperate with therunners 35-37 to prevent the toboggan from sliding sidewise.

A modified form of brake actuating mechanism is shown in FIG. 8 in whichhandle 17 serves as a pump handle for a hydraulic pump piston 60 securedin the housing 61. Hydraulic fluid is delivered to the master cylinder62. from a reservoir 63 by means of aconduit 64'. The fiuid is thenforced under pressure past the check valve 6-5 and into conduit 66 todisplace piston 67in cylinder 6%. This displacement of the piston 67pivots sprag 55 on its fulcrum 54 in much the same manner as shown inconnection with FIG. 7. In the form of FIG. 8, however, right hand sprag55 and left hand sprag 70 operate together since the hydraulic fluid isforced through conduit 71 housing 72, conduit 73 and cylinder 74 inexactly the same way as described in connection with cylinder 68. Theleft hand piston 75 in cylinder 74 controls the pivoting movement ofsprag 70 through the piston rod 75'. Compression springs 76 and 77 incylinders 74 and 68, respectively, urge their pistons 75 and 67 to theright to release the brakes or sprags 55 and when the operator turns theleft hand handle 16 to open the pressure relief valve 78 the fluid ispermitted to return to reservoir 63 through orifice 80 in housing 72 andlateral conduit 81. Handle 17 is pivoted to housing 61 at 8 2 but handle16 is provided with a universal joint 83 to permit the operator tocontrol the hydraulic relief valve 78.

When completely assembled, my rescue sled is provided with a suitablemattress 85 which has a blanket or cover 86 secured along one edgethereof as shown in FIG. 2. A line 87 may be secured to the side railsas shown in FIG. 1 to lash the mattress and blanket in place or tosecure the injured person in position to prevent rolling off, if such isindicated. Where circumstances are such that a signal is useful I attachlight 18 which may have both constant and blinker control circuits tothe cowl 10.

A particular feature of the present rescue toboggan involves the use ofa series of foam rubber or resilient pads or cushions 90-95. Thecushions 90, 91, 94 and 95 are in the shape of truncated cylindershaving flat faces and a semicircular back whereby they may be stored inthe curved recess formed by the cowl 10. Cushions 92 and 93 are providedwith double concave surfaces as shown clearly in FIG. 6 so that cushions90, 91 and 92 may be secured by means of snap fasteners 96 to themattress 85 and to each other to form a single level or double levelresilient cushion to support a leg of the injured person, as shown inFIG. 2. Two of the remaining cushions 94 and 95 may be fastened near thetop or head of the mattress 85 to prevent the patients head or neck fromrolling or twisting sidewise. It will be understood that a suitablenumber of fasteners 96 may be positioned on the mattress at thestrategic points needed to secure the cushions for individuals ofdifferent heights. When not in use, as shown in FIG. 2, all or some ofthe cushions 9095 are stored in the nose section of the toboggan andretained therein by means of an elastic cord 97, as shown in FIG. 1. Theblanket 86 may then be used to cover the patient and he may be lashed inplace, if such is necessary, by means of the cord 87.

It will be understood that my improved rescue toboggan incorporatesseveral important and unique features enabling the quick and efficientrescue of injured or marooned personnel from otherwise inaccessiblelocations and permits their removal with a minimum of damage or furtherinjury. The tail section may be disconnected to provide a satisfactorylitter on which the patient or injured person may be carried and in therescue operation the tail section serves as a rigid splint for thevarious parts of the anatomy which should be rigidly supported duringtransportation. The flap or cover protects the mattress from dampnessand snow, etc., and the brakes may be locked in a holding position toprevent the toboggan from sliding even on a steep incline.

I claim:

*1. A rescue toboggan assembly comprising a nose section having a pairof parallel side rails, a cowl attached to the forward portion of saidrails, a brake housing on the rearward portion of each of said rails, abrake in each of said housings, a pair of handles connected to the nosesection at each of said rails said handles extending forwardly andbeyond the cowl and positioned to be operated solely from in front ofsaid cowl, means operable by movement of at least one of said handlesfor setting and releasing said brakes, a tail section comprising a pairof side rails, locking means for securing the forward termini of thetail section side rails to the rearward termini of the nose section siderails, and a mattress secured to said tail section.

2. A toboggan assembly in accordance with claim 1 having a plurality offormed cushions normally stowed in the cowl, means for retaining thecushions in the cowl, and means for securing the cushions in variouslocations to the top of the mattress.

3. A rescue toboggan assembly comprising a nose section having a pair ofparallel side rails, a cowl attached to the forward portion of saidrails, a brake housing on the rearward portion of each of said rails, abrake in each of said housings, a pair of handles connected to the nosesection at each of said rails said handles extending forwardly andbeyond the cowl and positioned to be operated solely from in front ofsaid cowl, means operable by movement of at least one of said handlesfor setting and releasing said brakes, a tail section comprising a pairof side rails, and locking means for securing the forward termini of thetail section side rails to the rearward termini of the nose section siderails.

4. A toboggan assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which the tailsection comprises a rigid stretcher capable of supporting a human body.

5. A toboggan assembly in accordance with claim 4 in which each brakecomprises a pivoting sprag, a plurality of serrations on the undersideof said sprags, and a worm and sector for pivoting each sprag uponrotation of each handle.

6. A toboggan assembly in accordance with claim 4 in which at least oneof the handles is pivoted to its associated rail, a fluid pump operableby movement of said handle, a fluid cylinder in each of the housings, apiston in each of said cylinders, a pivoting sprag in each of thehousings, connecting means between each of the pistons and each of thesprags, and fluid connections between the pump and each of thecylinders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 88,457Bodisco Mar. 30, 1869 351,790 P8111011 NOV. 2, 1886 2,365,174 CochranDec. 19, 1944 2,367,157 Tufts Jan. 9, 1945 2,677,551 Berg May 4, 19542,770,465 Dandurand Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,276 Great BritainJune 9, 1910 of 1910 217,135 Germany Dec. 21, 1909 1,013,302 France Apr.30, 1952

1. A RESCUE TOBOGGAN ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A NOSE SECTION HAVING A PAIR OFPARALLEL SIDE RAILS, A COWL ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAIDRAILS, A BRAKE HOUSING ON THE REARWARD PORTION OF EACH OF SAID RAILS, ABRAKE IN EACH OF SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF HANDLES CONNECTED TO THE NOSESECTION AT EACH OF SAID RAILS SAID HANDLES EXTENDING FORWARDLY ANDBEYOND THE COWL AND POSITIONED TO BE OPERATED SOLELY FROM IN FRONT OFSAID COWL, MEANS OPERABLE BY MOVEMENT OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID HANDLESFOR SETTING AND RELEASING SAID BRAKES, A TAIL SECTION COMPRISING A PAIROF SIDE RAILS, LOCKING MEANS FOR SECURING THE FORWARD TERMINI OF THETAIL SECTION SIDE RAILS TO THE REARWARD TERMINI OF THE NOSE SECTION SIDERAILS, AND A MATTRESS SECURED TO SAID TAIL SECTION.